Health budget increase of £10m rejected by States

The health committee was the only one not asked to find 2.5% of savings in their budget

A request for a £10m increase for a healthcare budget has been rejected by Policy and Resources (P&R).

The Health and Social Care Committee (HSC) was the only committee not asked to find 2.5% of savings in their budget.

The request came after deputies rejected a package of tax reforms, including a GST, in February.

Deputy Peter Ferbrache, P&R president, said the rest of the island’s top committees had not managed to find savings.

Mr Ferbrache said: “HSC requested a significant increase in their 2024 budget.

“We all have sympathy for the challenge that deputy Brouard and his committee face in responding to the unprecedented demands being placed on his services and we all want to live in a community which continues to have access to timely and high-quality health care.

“However, the simple truth is that we can't afford to give HSC the funding needed.”

P&R has pressed the need for savings, as it projected Guernsey's deficit could grow to £100m by 2040.

“We’ve long spoken of the very real structural deficit and I am hoping that the publishing of the fiscal policy panel, which is completely independent, will address the continued misapprehensions around our financial situation,” Mr Ferbrache said.

In an update to members about the situation, Mr Ferbrache pushed back on the suggestion that there were “significant” funds to cut for the States.

He said: “With one or two exceptions, it is fair to say that committees have failed to achieve savings.

“In every case, the committees have presented very strong cases for why such a saving was unachievable in their area, and why they require the funds requested.

“Equally in every case, we are having to explain why there is simply not the funding available.”